


Discovering the Key to Their Once upon a Time...

by kittygirl320



Series: A Secret Shrouded in the Shadows [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Neverland (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-22 12:53:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7440106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittygirl320/pseuds/kittygirl320
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long-lost father and son are caught in ANOTHER *groan* bitter dispute after Rumplestiltskin takes Wendy.<br/>However, more from his past is revealed than he would have liked.</p><p>OR </p><p>The second part to the series in which Rumplestiltskin finds himself accidentally discovering the key to their once upon a time...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Discovering the Key to Their Once upon a Time...

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the second part to the sequel 'A Secret Shrouded in the Shadows'.  
> This story includes only one character's discovery of the secret kept between Darling Pan because it's all about the character's confusion, uncertainty after what his long-lost father tells him. I didn't really want to drag this part of the sequel on, either.

Rumple wandered through the jungle, awaiting the appearance of Pan as Hook had suggested (he'd taken heed to the pirate's suggestion very reluctantly - not only did he dislike the one-handed man, but he didn't really want to come face to face with that devil so soon and alone). There was no need to search for the camp where Pan was most likely to be; he'd be informed through the island's magic of Rumple's whereabouts and it was highly likely he would approach him without hesitation. The boy (who _used_ to be his father) had no understanding nor morals, really. 

All of a sudden, the Dark One smirked. _Finally!_  
He turned round towards the sound of the thud and, sure enough, there stood Pan: face like thunder, hand on the hilt of the dagger sheathed in his belt.  
"Where is she?" Pan demanded, instantly swiping the smirk off Rumple's face.  
Pan had always been better at the smirking, whether Rumple was son or not. But he wasn't smirking as Rumple looked at him now - he looked angry, furious, even, irritated. The boy almost looked...human and, in a weird kind of way, he looked vulnerable. The Dark One knew he'd made a mark on Pan that got to him where nothing else ever had. Rumple couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in this, although, no matter how many times he expected it, Rumple was always brought to discomfort when in the limelight of Pan's dark fiery glares.  
Not only his glares but, at the moment, the shadows assisted him, helped him appear more intimidating than he should've been, the vulnerability hidden by the shadows. They made the elfin features on his face appear sharper, darker. The hand not on the hilt of his dagger was balled into a fist, as if ready to plunge towards his son and swing his fist at his face. His narrowed green eyes were full of nothing but spite and hatred.  
"Who - Wendy?" Rumple began, as if clueless and pondering at first, inching cautiously closer to Pan a little. "Why should that bother you?"  
Pan's cruel lips thinned, his eye twitched and his jaw stiffened.  
"She's mine!" Pan growled possessively.  
"Not for much longer...I should think."

Abruptly, the boy moved out of the shadows and started circling him like a predator around his prey.  
"You plan on disposing of her - is that it?" His voice seemed calm but there was an element to it that made it sound like Pan was controlling it. Even his stance seemed controlled, like he was hiding his true emotions.   
But, in front of him, Rumple could only see the father that had abandoned him, chosen immortality and power over his own son. Pan couldn't feel, didn't know how - did he?  
"...It crossed my mind," Rumple replied with a nonchalant shrug set to match Pan's after admitting to a kill that was his.    
"You couldn't do it - no one is as cruel as me."  
"Doubting I'd trade one child's life for another now?" Rumple tested, matching Pan's every move so he didn't feel like some surrounded animal. "Do you know me at all, papa? After all, I only learnt from the best." He used that same taunting Pan had once used when they reunited for the first time, calling Rumple 'Laddie' like he used to before Neverland. And despite that last flattering sentence, there was venom in his voice when Rumple spoke it. After all, his father had once traded him, a child, for immortality and power.  
"What if I told you her real name is Evanna - your mother? Would you be so willing to dispose of her then?"  
Rumple faltered and both halted.  
"What...did you say?"  
A cruel, thin smile started to turn up the corners of Pan's mouth, twitching.  
"Same age and same looks when I first met her, she very well could be. After all I used to tell you about her...how could the thought not have crossed your mind? Did you seriously believe that the first time I'd jumped realms had been once you'd brought me that magic bean?"  
"You're lying," the Dark One spat, accusation a venom in his tone, "This is another one of your tricks!"  
Pan chuckled darkly. Something in that low, short laugh told Rumple otherwise, as oppose to his accusation.  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But would you be willing to take that risk? After the promises you've made to that son of yours and Belle? Some things...you just cannot afford to risk - especially at times like this."

Time seemed to slow - almost to a standstill - allowing Rumple the time to think, to reconsider his approach.  
"I don't think Baelfire would ever forgive you for taking that last piece of family close to him away."  
"He has plenty of family left," he retorted, although his voice was soft. A soft, unconsciously soft, tone, yes, but his throat clenched - he would not be lectured about abandonment by the very father who had abandoned _him_ as a child.   
"Really? The way I see it, you weren't there when he needed you and you're not really that close with him anymore, are you? The last I knew of him, he'd found Evanna, Wendy as you believe she's called,  _after_ you'd abandoned him  _again._ She fed him and welcomed him into the sort of family he'd always longed for."    
Rumple desperately wanted to deny it; he'd been a good father, knew what was best for his son - very much unlike the boy stood in front of him, eyes still ablaze. But that would be lying.  
Rumple didn't wish to hurt his son anymore, whether Pan was lying or not. The bond between him and his son might've been weak, but he didn't want to sever it completely - he believed there was still hope.  
However, he couldn't let Pan see he was getting to him, let him see the weakness he'd caused him, and so Rumple rested his gaze back on Pan.  
Unfortunately, just as he returned his gaze to the spot where Pan had been standing, nothing was left except the fading smoke.

So, unwilling to waste anymore time there, Rumple made his trek back out of the clearing, heading back towards where they'd set up camp.

When he reached that clearing in the jungle, there was only Regina - the Evil Queen - standing there and Hook.  
Regina looked slightly irritated and before she could ask - neigh - _demand_ where the hell he'd slipped off to, only Hook's eyes giving away that _he'd_ known where 'the Crocodile', as he'd taken to calling him, had slipped off to, Rumple risked a glance towards the cage the girl... _Wendy_ was locked in.   
As she looked up, clearly pleading to be let out, Rumple began to wonder if what Pan had said was true. It didn't seem impossible but he just didn't want to believe it.  
In order to change the subject before regina brought it up, Rumple asked, "Where are the others?"  
"Searching for Henry even though they know it's no use - with a boy like Pan holding him captive. They're hoping to find even some clues."  
"He might be a boy, Regina, but Pan's no idiot."  
Despite his remark to cover up how he felt, what had been revealed to him by his long-lost father, Rumplestiltskin had never before felt so confused, divided, about what to do.     


End file.
